It is ironic to note that this ongoing process is strongly supporting the emergence of China as the dominant power in the 21 Century and certainly hastening the relative rise of the BRICs. This is almost entirely because we privilege our elites to put the profit to themselves and their international firms far above the interests of the societies and nations in which they operate.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

Coleman, I agree that the rise of ALL of the BRICs is a good thing, the most positive thing to come out of this debacle. But accelerating that process by looting and tanking the economies of the former First World is not a good thing -- especially for the residents of those societies, the vast majority of which did not benefit from the process.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."